OMG! OMG! OMG!

There's a party going on right here, a celebration to last throughout the year...well, at least the next three months. TRUE BLOOD IS BACK TONIGHT BABY! It has been a long wait but it is almost over. I have missed all of the characters so much. Even though there is lots of boobs the show is good to the ladies and we get plenty of fine man butt to go around. I also like that shirts are optional many times. The cast is exceptionally good looking and talented. But, Karen, you may ask, what is it about the show that you love so much? I'm glad you asked, here's why.

(There be spoilers here and if you haven't watched the show it probably won't make a lick of sense.)

Hoyt and Jessica- What a love story. When Jessica was introduced at the end of season one she was horrible. Her character is not in the books and I couldn't figure out what they were going to do with her. But she has become on of the most wonderful characters on the show. Watching her transformation from spoiled teen to tentative understanding of her new life as a vampire has been touching. Her relationship with Bill has grown so much but it is her and Hoyt that are so special. They are like the inverse of Bill and Sookie's relationship. He worships her and is helping her to retain the sweetness in her nature that can abandon vampires so quickly if not nurtured. When we left them, they were setting up house together.

Lafayette- He is a breath of fresh air. An openly gay man wearing earrings and false lashes but who will kick your ass if you cross him the wrong way. He will take on a table of rednecks, cook a mean oyster stew, sell you some drugs, dance in gold lame' underwear for his online admirers and face down hypocritical politicians all without smearing his eyeliner. He is funny and vulnerable and one of the best parts of the show.  The actor who plays Lafayette is so talented that even though his character dies in the books they kept him around. Last we saw he had just entered into a new relationship with a La Bruja and was having some hard experiences.

Terry- Oh Terry, how do I love thee. So sweet and so damaged, he is our Iraq war vet with the heart of gold. He fell hard for Arlene and he is trying so hard to do right by her. He has some of the best lines in the whole show and makes you laugh although most times it will be unintentionally. He is trying so hard to heal from what he experienced in the war and you just root for him to find happiness. It is going to be a hell of ride with Arlene this season. And there is nobody I'd rather have be peculiar at me.

Sam- I don't know what to say about Sam other than he is my favorite on the show. He is so deep and has such a painful past and bears many secrets and burdens as Bon Temps resident shape shifter. Plus, he is just so damned hot. I'll let a Merlotte's patron speak for me, "I swear, I'd wear him like a scrunchie." This season he may finally be able to free himself of his unrequited passion for Sookie. After all he has been through I'd like to see him find love and happiness.

Don't get me wrong. I love the entire cast. Sweet but dumb as a bag of hammers Jason, tortured Tara, Godlike Eric and his buns of steel, Scattered Sookie and even Arlene. But the above are my particulars and will draw me back even when other parts can seem too over the top. It is just an all around entertaining romp once a week and I love it. Many times it will layer in meanings and you can sense currents shifting under the surface. And when you see resolutions that you didn't expect and go back and re-watch you will see things with new eyes. So tonight at 6pm will find me in front of the TV with True Blood nacho's (I make these only for this show and the Oscar's. But for the Oscar's they are called Oscar nacho's.) and high expectations. Waiting has indeed sucked!

La Dee Da...

I spend most of my life feeling younger than I am. Even though I see the wrinkles and feel the aches and pains of age, much like all those who are aged, I feel  more young than I am. My life has become a cliche. I always say "in my day kids never wore a helmet when riding bikes and my parents trusted me enough to come home from school everyday and take care of myself." I ate pop rocks and bomb pops, didn't worry about or even know about HFCS,  played video games with quarters, and to me,  presidents were  characters on SNL. One of the things I want most to share with my child ( if I am lucky enough to have one) is how wonderful childhood can be. I want to read to them the stories that transported me when  I was a child in the dark with nothing but my imagination to sustain me. It is almost scary how much the past can ensnare you. The reason I write this is because I just watched H. R.  Pufnstuf. The nostalgia it caused was almost painful in its urgency.  I can feel my childhood in it. That time, the innocence is sometimes, most times, gone, so it feels amazing to touch it again. There are only a few films that can do it. Most are movies made for the child I was. The Muppet Movie, Benji, The Doberman Gang, the Bad News Bears. They may be small things, but I am grateful to have them. Anything that connects me to youth and magic is amazing. The one thing that I want to keep most about myself is the ability to believe. I want to believe in magic always. Even if that means that I am that crazy old women who, alone, claps to keep Tink alive.  Because I do believe in faeries. If that goes away in myself  I might as well be dead.

On the Road Again.

Well, unfortunately it is that time. My bags are packed and soon I will be traveling back home. The trip was far too brief but it was certainly better than nothing. I hope I can make my up here again soon although next time I will fly. I wonder what awaits me on the road this time. I will let you know.

Beautiful Day

I am so glad I get a little sunshine while I am here. I know that I get plenty of sunshine where I live now but there is just something special about the quality of the light at this location. It is warm with no wind and perfect. My mother and I are getting ready to go down to the water and visit a driftwood beach. I want to take some pictures. I don't have a camera but will use my phone. Also, she has two mama deers who live near her house and will visit her yard with their fawns. Last night while watching TV I saw movement from the corner of my eye and saw a beautiful doe and a little baby who still had the white spots walk right past the window to munch on a bush at the corner of the house. She lives right were you can see the ferry as it makes it daily runs and at night the water is lit up like a birthday cake with all of the traffic. But it is quiet and peaceful and wonderful.

Addendum:

Here are a few of the  shots I took.

Driftwood beach is very apropos name. So beautiful.

I made it in one piece.

 Two days of hard driving has found me at my destination. It was difficult but definitely worth it. I think it would of been more fun if I wasn't on such a time constraint. Than I could of stopped at interesting places. But that is okay. I can always do it again sometime. I learned quite a few things and I share them with you here.

1.     Playing dodge the deer is not nearly as fun as it sounds. There are also three types of road deer. One is sheepish. Their like “I know, I know. I’m not supposed to be out here. I’ll just be leaving now.” The second type is disdainful. They look at you like you put the poop in pooper. The third stares you down and says, “I will cut a bitch,” before flicking their tail and sauntering back into the woods from whence they sprang.

2.     When a little bunny runs out in front of my speeding car, it causes me to let out a high-pitched squeal, slam brakes, and swerve the wheel wildly (the driving equivalent of arm flailing).  Luckily, this demonstration of driving excellence left all participants unharmed.

3.     When a huge white owl dive-bombs my windshield only to veer off at the last moment to fly away it causes me to yell loudly to no one “HOLY SHIT that was cool!!!

4.     If you ever find yourself driving through Mt. Shasta State Park between 10pm and midnight take time to stop and look at the stars. I turned off even though I was so tired I could barely stand and turned off my car and just stood in the dark. I could hear nothing but the secret night sounds of the forest and feel a soft breeze on my legs and I was in awe of the sky. There were so many stars there seemed to be ribbons of them weaving through the firmament. I stayed until I heard a car coming and I didn’t want anyone to stop and offer assistance.

5.     That the Travel Inn in Mt. Shasta has little people furniture, the dresser came to my knees and I am not tall. Additionally, I never knew how many businesses replace “ing” with “inn.” You got your Drive Inn, Eat Inn, Stay Inn, Drink Inn etcetera, ad naseum. I realize that I find that really Annoy Inn.

6.     2 straight days of driving for 10 hours has given my ass a serious case of Kim Kardashianitis.  I hope the swelling goes down by tomorrow.

7.     I need someone more eloquent than me to explain how rainy days and jazz make me feel. So saith Queen Latifah, “it gives me lady wood.”

8.     And, finally, driving through my city today it made me realize how much I fucking miss this place. I miss the trees, the rivers lakes ocean, wild flowers everywhere, the seasons, how pretty it is. I guess I am fortunate because when I am away I can make myself forget and downplay how much I love it.

All this and I get to repeat it in reverse again on Tuesday when I go home.

Karen’s Big Adventure

I decided that I wanted a break. So me, myself and I are going on a road trip to see my family. (While myself is kind of a slob and will probably drive me crazy the whole way, me is good company and an interesting conversationalist) I leave on Friday morning. It should be an interesting trip. I’ve rented a car and should be able to make the drive in about 20 hours. I will just have my music and thoughts. I’m going to play a lot of the Shins and after dark it will be classic Jazz as I chase my headlights through the dark. I don’t know where I will stop the first night; I’m going to wing it. I’ve never stayed in a hotel room alone before. I find that I am excited to do something so simple. I can stop along the way if I want. There is no one’s schedule but my own to keep. The freedom is a little heady. Even though I could have flown and had a longer visit, I find that I am looking forward to the drive, plus this way I don’t have to be felt up or irradiated. It is a chance to shake the cobwebs from my mind. Time to myself is a valuable commodity and I do not mind being alone at all. That I crave it, actually. I always have a mind that races and I hope to let it rest for a while, maybe this will be a vision quest. Nah, nothing so dramatic, it’s just a long drive with family at the end. I’ll write again from the road.

Melrose Place

Once again, due to Netflix, I am watching a show that I haven't seen since it first aired and that was in 1992. I remember really liking it (and I still like 90210) when it was first on and I know it will improve but right now it is a cheese fest and not in a good way. Just read some of the actual episode descriptions from the first season:

"Billy, while driving his taxi through crowded streets, spots a lady driver in distress. He offers to help but is not an expert in auto repair. Jake stops to talk to Michael."

Or this one:

"At Jane and Michael's  apartment, the group has gathered to watch home movies taken of Jane when she was first born. Finally the film ends and there is a fun sigh of relief."


Can't miss TV right? Honestly, it is amazing that this show managed to last at all, much less for 9 seasons. But I know what is coming and I am willing to wait. I want Jo, Sydney and Kimberly. So much to love. Nothing beats the dramatic wig pulling off scene with scarred Kimberly. Getting rid of Sandy and Rhonda was the smartest thing and I've only got 5 more episodes to get through until then.

Now I want to play this game. So here is my take on the next exciting episode of Melrose Place:

Sandy uses the restroom only to find to her horror that they are out of toilet paper. Even worse Rhonda is not home to help out. Matt wakes up late for work and does not have time for his morning coffee and so he feels tired until lunch. Jane and Michael have an argument about how many magazines she subscribes to, she agrees to cancel a few and they make up. There are some mishaps in Billy and Alison's apartment, including Alison breaking a nail and Jake developing hiccups after a visit. So when Billy stubs his toe he begins to think their apartment is cursed.